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The same pattern — self-discipline amid embarrassment — repeated itself a few years later. During the Monica Lewinksy scandal, even close friends said they were struck, even worried, by her iron-willed discretion. She plotted political strategy for dealing with the scandal like a lawyer working on a case. Never mind that she and her wayward husband were themselves the clients and were living in a tabloid frenzy. She never discussed her personal feelings, even with people who considered themselves intimates.

The public support that flowed to her amid scandal in 1998 produced ecstatic crowds when she toured upstate New York that summer on a tour to promote historic preservation. That, in turn, led directly to the most improbable event in her public career: election to the Senate as a sitting first lady from a state where she had never lived.

Clinton’s Senate performance, meanwhile, suggested skills that could be important as secretary of state. Defying predictions that she would be a Senate show horse, she proved instead to be a work horse. She worked well with Republicans, even some who had tried to evict her husband from office during impeachment proceedings. She showed the trait that may be the most important to success in both legislative and diplomatic battles: iron pants, the willingness to sit and concentrate for hours at a time on tedious discussions.

As it happens, her presidential campaign suggested she may not have been well-suited for the chief executive role. She let factional wars between top aides like campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle and pollster Mark Penn continue unabated for months, and she switched slogans and strategies like they were flavors of the month at an ice cream parlor.

“When she was running the entire show for herself, she convened a team that was totally incompetent and when it came time to fire people who weren’t getting the job done, she couldn’t pull the rip cord,” said one longtime Clinton confidant. “You could say that running a campaign is like running a little nation, and she failed. Maybe State will be a better fit.”

The State Department, by contrast, relies on a huge, highly organized army of career foreign service officers, so the executive skills of the person at the top are less of an issue.

Clinton’s post-campaign team is leaner and meaner, by necessity and design. She now relies on handful of tough, tight-lipped and loyal survivors led by longtime aide Maggie Williams and former Clinton impeachment lawyer Cheryl Mills, whose under-the-radar style belies a powerful influence in Hillaryland.

It was Mills, those close to Clinton say, who directly negotiated the most sensitive details of the Clintons’ nine-point agreement with Obama over the appointment, and Mills who urged Clinton surrogates to push back against press reports accusing the former president of withholding key documents from Obama’s transition team.

Known for her combative style and suspicion of the media, the 43-year-old Mills has for years been a key player for the Clintons on sensitive issues where legal and political interests intersect. “She’s the kind of person who makes sure your ass is covered,” said one Clintonite who is cool to Mills personally but respects her professionally. “That’s why Bill and Hillary both love her.”

Mills is rumored to be in line for a State Department appointment, although she has reportedly told friends she isn’t interested. Andrew Shapiro, Clinton’s top foreign policy aide in the Senate, is expected to join her at State, as is Huma Abedin, Clinton’s omnipresent traveling assistant and confidante. Others rumored to be considered for posts: Clinton adviser and press aide Philippe Reines; her former White House chief of staff, Melanne Verveer; and Lee Feinstein, a former State Department official serving on the transition team.

Obama is to Ali, what Hillary is to Marciano. This woman has many times been knocked, but never knocked out. What we need most is someone who will go to the mat for us, and we got her. I agree with skinnycat - Hillary 16'.

Hillary... what can I say? At least four more years of the lovely pantsuits. An orange jumpsuit would be more appropriate. I can only imagine the deals that went on behind the scenes for her to get this post.

“When she was running the entire show for herself, she convened a team that was totally incompetent and when it came time to fire people who weren’t getting the job done, she couldn’t pull the rip cord,” said one longtime Clinton confidant. “You could say that running a campaign is like running a little nation, and she failed. Maybe State will be a better fit.”

Not one of president-elect Obama's finer moments in appointments if you ask me. Selecting a proven liar, cheat and thief to represent the US on an International scale speaks volumes to his his wisdom. But then again maybe it's not a bad thing if she takes the job and leaves the Senate Obama has one less worry from congressional blow back. Who knows if she screws this up Obama may just fire her putting an end to the Clinton polical careers entirely.

Uh, Hillary ran a better campaign at the end of the primary than Obama... Why do you guys forget that? Despite Obama's huge lead, she was able to win states in a big way despite Obama's huge cash advantage. Once Hillary understands something, she does well, and I am confident she will be thinking deeply over the next few months before becoming SoS. She will be the best SoS imo. I think she's the best choice and the alternatives are terrible... Susan Rice acts like a man, Kerry lies too much, Richardson has a BIG EGO (by far bigger than Hillary). And Politico, you guy suck. Youre the one who likes the drama not Hillary.

State needs a massive reorganization and she is organizationally inept. State needs someone who forges relationships and she has no true affinity for people! Integrity and transparency are the minimum bastions of character that a SoS needs and we know where she is on those. The fact that she obfuscates and embellishes without guilt does not instill trust with World leaders! The authors imply that she draws crowds and respect on the World stage is mmanufactored by them. Even beginning in March of this year, her campaign had to 'stack' the stage and request 'tight' shots UNLESS she had her husband or daughter or local hero to bring people in! Or was giving away Donuts. She has never traveled with 'portfolio' ---only 'in the party of' or 'the wife of'!!! She is a wonk that did not read the NIE before voting to go into Iraq!! Please---this is a small list of her 'attributes'??11

So by driving to Washington and wasting a full work day, they are actually costing Ford and extra $80,000 or therabouts.. But at least idiots on TV will now STFU ...

* The CEO of Ford made $28.2 million in 2007. I'm assuming his crew in the hybrid collectively make at least 36.5 million. Divided by 365 days per year (assuming no vactions ever) and one gets the $100,000 per diem figure.

Chicago, we've got a problem. Seems Hillary voted to increase the salaries of ALL cabinet positions in 2006. The Constitution prohibits someone who voted for the raise to serve. Now comes the scrambling for legislation to allow her to serve with certain court challenges. Eric Holder's got a lot to answer for the Marc Rich pardon, comments after 9-11 and more. Stay tuned, Obama's human and these two appointments are going to make for interesting confirmation hearings as they should. No one's amazed that Hillary's trying to pull another one. I voted for Obama, but am disappointed that since Election Day, "no drama" is slowly turning into a soap opera. Forget appointing these two and find others who won't set off sirens.

Hillary is the woman! People may disagree but I think one of her major flaws is that she is loyal to a fault. She didnt have it in her to fire people who were screwing up because they were supporting her. She took this SOS job knowing that she could be let go if Obama so chose. She also knows if Obama fails she fails along with him. People may knock her down but you can't keep her down. I can't help but think Hillary must really love Billy boy because he is such a double edge sword. He humliated her with his playboy antics and could have been on the major reasons she lost the Dem nod(along with the media not doing their job on edwards and the Obama love). She started off great in primaries she then stumbled for 11 primaries but yet came right up on Obama's heels going a winning streak even winning a primary on the night Obama claimed the nod(in part due to Pelosi's phone calls to superdelegate making them make up their mind before the end of the primaries). I respect Hillary and I have come to respect Obama. Hillary doesn't just hand anything over she knew she was losing in the end and bascially told Obama if you want it come get it I am not just gonna step out of the way, and Obama went and got it. I honestly think if Hillary had not ran for president you would not be seeing presdient elect Obama today. None of the other democratic rivals had the guts to challenge Obama like Hillary did and he would not have been ready for the general because he would have sailed through the dem nod without much work and he would have known what was going to hit him.

Again, Other than her media-inspired celebrity (like Obama) what exactly is Hillary Clintons qualifications to be the US Secretary of State? I guess in today's world, at least with the so-called MSM (which is anything but mainstream to most of us) in the eyes of the fawning Democrat media you're 'qualified' for every political position as long as they know you from years on the Washington DC cocktail circuit (Biden) or you're a minority or former First Lady that had tea with ambassadors in eighty countries .... a few more countries than Laura Bush. However, if the so-called msm don't know you from the nightly Georgetown dinners, and you're 'only' the chief executive (Governor) of a state responsible for balancing budgets (among other things) and you don't play their games like going on their Sunday morning Democrat love-fests disguised as 'talk shows' and, oh yeah, you're a REPUBLICAN Governor, (Palin) well, sorry, they'll simply tear you and your family to shreds and pronounce you 'unqualified' for the national stage as they promote and sing the praises of a less than one-term senator that lacks executive experience and a single accomplishment in his life. Go Figure.

"Hillary... what can I say? At least four more years of the lovely pantsuits. An orange jumpsuit would be more appropriate. I can only imagine the deals that went on behind the scenes for her to get this post. "

Not one of president-elect Obama's finer moments in appointments if you ask me. Selecting a proven liar, cheat and thief to represent the US on an International scale speaks volumes to his his wisdom.

With all do respect this is a somewhat partisan political view thankfully not shared by most around the world. Trust me, I am no huge Hillary fan but she is respected, many with fond memories of how her husband conducted foreign policy. You may disagree with those policies however, contract those with our standing in the last EIGHT years.